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You are hereGeneral Assembly: Statement by Ambassador Thoms at the 6. High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development

General Assembly: Statement by Ambassador Thoms at the 6. High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development

Oct 7, 2013

Statement as prepared for delivery by Ambassador Thoms at the 6. High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development:

"Mr. President,

Let me start by aligning myself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

Over the next two years all development partners will have to step up efforts towards the achievement of the MDGs. Various processes have started with the aim to formulate a single, coherent and universally applicable new agenda for sustainable development beyond 2015.

In this respect it is of utmost importance to streamline all international processes that deal with financing issues (UN High Level Panel Report, Open Working Group on SDGs, UNFCCC, CBD and ICESDF). It will also be vital that the post-2015 goals track and the financing track – while remaining separated - coordinate well. This implies that the discussions on financing and means of implementation at this point of time should take place first and foremost under the financing track.

There is a need for the Monterrey Consensus (taking into account the Doha declaration and the Rio+20 Means of Implementation) to evolve into a Post-2015 Financing for Sustainable Development framework for the mobilization of financial resources in support of the future post-2015 agenda for sustainable development.

Mr. President,

What was agreed already in Monterrey – the primary importance of mobilizing domestic resources – will remain valid also for the post-2015 process.

In this context Germany supports its partner countries’ governments in their efforts in reforming their tax systems, strengthening their tax administrations and following the principles of good financial governance rules as well as in the development of local financial markets.

Moreover, we strongly back joint efforts to improve tax cooperation and to combat corruption, illegal capital flows, tax evasion and excessive tax avoidance schemes. We welcome the outcome of this year´s G8 and G20 summits, in particular the Lough Erne Declaration, including the remarks on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) and the Automatic Exchange of Information.

Our support for private sector development aims to improve the business and investment climate in order to promote private investments, to generate economic growth and to broaden the tax base. Resilient and inclusive financial systems and markets are a vital component in these efforts to mobilize domestic resources.

We also need to strengthen private households’ abilities to improve their own living conditions, and we need to mobilize domestic and international private investments for sustainable development. Yet, in addition to that, all countries shall – according to their means – provide external official financial support to those countries that cannot meet all their sustainable development needs alone as well as contribute to the provision of global public goods.

The Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICESDF) that has started its work will deliver an important milestone in this process.

Germany is actively involved in the work of the committee. We and the German expert, Dr. Norbert Kloppenburg of KfW development bank, are committed to support the committee to deliver focused, innovative and action oriented recommendations in its report to the Secretary General.

Mr. President,

We are taking part in a crucial process of defining common ground for a livable world. Germany will constructively support the process towards the creation of a financing framework for the Post-2015-Agenda for sustainable development that allows all people to live in the “The Future We Want”.

Development, Environment and Sustainability

More than one billion people in the world – almost one in five – have to live on less than 1.25 US dollars per day. Every day thousands of young children die of hunger and illnesses. Poverty reduction is therefore a cornerstone of Germany's engagement at the UN.